Cable Extrusion: Ideal Colorant/compound ratio

Hi All.

I'm new here.
I'm still new in the automotive cable industry.
Still 3 years in Cable extrusion.

Can anybody here help me get the ideal colorant(or masterbatch) to compound ratio based on experience?

Thanks

Hello Poy and welcome,

First of all the concentration of masterbatch depends on the manufacturer (chemicals used), the particular base polymer (PVC, PE, XLPE and so on.) and on the the particular color in question.

Secondly there must be a standard for the color that you are trying to achieve.

Generally speaking, companies develop color concentrate % weight recipes against that color standard by experimentation with a laboratory extruder. This is done by laboratory technicians or process engineers under controlled conditions.

Then the color concentrate is added with a gravimetric mixer (In a modern plant) at the extruder on the production floor.

Regards,
Peter J. Stewart-Hay
Principal
Stewart-Hay Associates
www.Stewart-Hay.com

Thanks a lot.
We currently have a standard for color/compound ratios for every color.

But we are currently having problems with a new cable.
We don't have previous experience on PP extrusion.
We were supplied with PP compound and PE colorant from the other plant. They told us they are using exactly the same combination. With the current materials provided, we have a higher colorant/compound ratio compared to our existing cables.
I've read somewhere else that PE-based colorant can be used with no problem on PP based compound. Is this so?